House Bill 598 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Curtis L. TravisRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Creates the Rural Maternal and Infant Health Equity Act and Rural Maternal and Infant Health Equity Program Fund to improve birth outcomes in rural communities

Summary

Creates a Rural Maternal and Infant Health Equity Act to expand access to midwifery, doula care, and related rural maternity services to improve birth outcomes in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

It would create the Rural Maternal and Infant Health Equity Program Fund and authorize grants to expand midwife and doula services in rural areas. It would require Medicaid and all insurers to cover midwife and doula services. It would fund workforce development for rural maternity care—including residencies, rotations, recruitment incentives, and loan repayment—with emphasis on team-based and culturally responsive care. It would support local maternal health partnerships and capital improvements such as new birth centers and expanded rural obstetric facilities.

Who It Affects

• Pregnant people in rural Alabama who would gain access to midwifery and doula services, prenatal care, delivery options, and postpartum support
• Rural health providers, birth centers, hospitals, insurers, and the state Medicaid program, which would receive funding, coverage requirements, and workforce incentives

Key Provisions

• HB598 creates the Rural Maternal and Infant Health Equity Act and the Rural Maternal and Infant Health Equity Program Fund in the State Treasury.
• Defines key terms: Department (Alabama Department of Public Health), Doula, Midwife, Rural Area.
• Section 3: Department shall support rural access to midwifery and doula services by offering grants to integrate maternity care providers into hospitals and clinics; State Board of Midwifery shall license and regulate community-based maternity care providers; cultural competency and evidence-based training required.
• Section 4: Medicaid shall provide coverage for midwife and doula services (subject to CMS approval/waivers); all insurers operating in Alabama shall cover these services.
• Section 5: Establishes the Obstetric Workforce Training and Incentive Program to support OB/GYN residencies or rural rotations, recruitment incentives for rural obstetric providers, and loan repayment for at least two years of rural maternity care; priority to team-based and culturally responsive care.
• Section 6: Department shall fund locally led maternal health partnerships to deliver prenatal home visits, mobile perinatal clinics, and group prenatal care with engagement of target communities.
• Section 7: Department shall offer capital grants to establish new rural birth centers, expand or modernize obstetric units in rural hospitals, and support facilities offering continuous labor support and postpartum care; projects must meet safety and licensure standards.
• Section 8: Creates the Rural Maternal and Infant Health Equity Program Fund; fund is in the State Treasury, subject to appropriations and gifts; expenditures limited to listed programs; budgeted under applicable Alabama code.
• Section 9: Act becomes effective on October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 10, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health